ROSES 2024 Growing in God's Fragrant Beauty - Christian Church in Oklahoma

By Marilyn Bohlender, ODW President

About fifty women from Oklahoma made up approximately 40% of those traveling from a six state geographical area to ROSES, an interregional event scheduled once every four years, held this year in McKinney, TX, June 28-29, 2024. Regions of the Sun Equipping and Serving (ROSES) is comprised of the Southwest, Oklahoma and Great River Regions.

They knew Oklahoma was in the room! Our Disciple Women were on fire; the ending song of “Pass it On” sums up our women’s inspiration! You will be seeing our women even more involved after being uplifted by this event.

Oklahoma women involved in the program were Rev. Maria Garza leading a workshop; Allison Haney leading call to worship and a prayer; Rev. Zenobia Mayo with a Prayer for the Cup during communion meditation; and myself, Marilyn Bohlender, introducing our keynote, Rev. Marilyn Fiddmont.

Inspirational Speakers

Friday night Rev. Dr. Debra Reid, our new Disciples Women Interim Executive Director, emphasized Jesus is Love. She continued to inspire the women in her break-out session on Saturday. Her point of Disciples Women Ministry structure has been promised to be sent to me so I can share it with our women leaders. Contact me if you need a copy.

Rev. Marilyn Fiddmont taught us about Peter as she kept it real. In her workshop, she involved the women in a discussion including what’s stopping us from getting involved.

Rev. Alice Hupp, our ending keynote, kept us laughing with audience involvement of what problems we are carrying around instead of giving them to God.

In addition to the three keynote speakers, this event kept on enriching us with the breakout sessions/workshops Saturday afternoon. There was good feedback from those attending sessions with Rev. Dr. Debra Reid, Rev. Marilyn Fiddmont, Rev. Paula Brooks, Rev. Kristin Galle, and Rev. Maria Garza. My takeaway from Rev. Marie Garza’s workshop is that prayer does change things. Thank you to everyone who prayed for this event.

Supporting Multiple Outreach Missions

Disciples Women are about service and those attending brought donations for a domestic abuse center in the Dallas area. This also reflects the IDWM “Wear black on Thursdays” campaign of domestic abuse awareness.

The chair shown in the photo with the red shawl represents abuse of women and human trafficking victims. This custom came about after a W2WW (Woman-to-Woman Worldwide) trip to Italy in 2014. Sidenote: W2WW will be going to Kenya for 2025 so watch for information to apply toward the fall of this year.

A silent auction and $1.50+ donations at the 150th birthday party for Disciples Women Friday night benefitted our IDWM. The actual day for the birthdate is Oct 21st!

The Blessing Box Ministry information is on page three of ROSES booklet and online at Disciples Women Ministry or DW section of okdisciples.org. There is a wealth of information in your ROSES booklet so keep or share with other women at your church.

Grateful for Energetic Organizers

Many thanks goes to the ROSES committee especially energetic Texan Shannon Karr CCSW DW Advisor. Leaders from the six state area served on the committee and were involved in the program. Sally Green, SW Region DWM President presided over this event.

This event was last held in Tulsa in 2019 with Zenobia Mayo as coordinator. In four years, this event will be hosted by the Great Rivers Region which is Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. It will be eight years before this event returns to Oklahoma!

Before ROSES was over, some women were inspired to ask me how to be involved with Disciples Women. Our regional office has worked hard to make my monthly articles and our Disciples Women section of the website easier to navigate.

On our Disciples Women section of okdisciples.org pay close attention to the Stay in Touch article which has a link to sign up for the #DW Connect that IDWM President Wanona Rogers Redd talked about Saturday morning or go to Disciples Women Ministries.

There is also a link in the Stay in Touch article to sign up for our regional eNewsletter Regional Roundup which will include my monthly article.

If you have Facebook, please follow for announcements on Oklahoma Disciples Women Facebook and for information on Northeast Oklahoma Disciples of Christ Women Facebook.

Revisit the first part of the song, “Pass It On”

“It only takes a spark to get a fire going,
And soon all those around can warm up in its glowing.
That’s how it is with God’s love.
Once you’ve experienced it,
You spread the love to everyone.
You want to pass it on.”